Carpenter&#39;s vise having lever-operated slidable jaw



NOV. 4, F. A. GUTH ET AL v CARFENTER'S VISE HAVING LEVER-OPERATED SLIDABLE JAW Filed Feb. 4, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Patented Nov. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARPENTERS VISE HAVING LEVER- OPERATED SLIDABLE J AW Application February4, 1949; Serial No. 74,554:

6 Claims. 1.

This invention relatesto an improved carpenters. vise, and has for its-general object. to, pro-- vide a vise having novel means for producing rapid and unusually powerful object-clamping relative movement between .the jawv members; as well as. to provide. avise. which may be? easily operated to clamp and maintain: workobjects: in or between said jaw membersin an efiective and securemanner.

Theordinary wood-w0rker.s vise, with itsroitatable. screw for efiecting. jaw movement, is. known to. be: slow, laborious andzcumbersome to; operate. It is an. aim of. the present. invention to: provide an. improved. visez wherein. the movable jaw member. thereof. is mountedonia guid-= ing and. supporting bar: member for? free sliding movement. longitudinally thereof, whereby. to quickly and readily obtain spacing'ofl the jaw: members. to provide for initial. clamping of a work object. therebetween and. wherein said. jaw member has associated therewith improved-means for applying high final clamping pressures to. the work object, enabling the. latter to be held in an immovable manner; between: thejaw mem:-.- bers. when. various operations: are to be per.- formed thereon.

A further object is to provide. a wood-works. ersvise having a pair of movable. jaws cooperative with a single stationary jaw, and wherein the movable jaws are operated by a'single means; one'of the movable jaws; being. arranged on the front face of an associatedwork. bench: carrying; the vise and the other for the; clamping. of work objects on the top of the bench..

A further object is to provide a vise in which is provided an eccentric-lever means for sliding a movable jaw of the Viseand locking the same against movement when in clamping engagement with a-work object..

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed'out in theappended claims.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of avise formed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the vise, the work bench on which the vise is mounted being shown in vertical transverse cross section;

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical sectional view taken through the vise onthe plane indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is. ad'etail 11013120111781.SECtiOIlZlViBW'.011,. theplane' disclosed by the-line 44-of Fig; 3.:

Fig; 5lisia= detail vertical'sectional viewon the I the: numeral lll'designatesi a bench, table, shelf or other support on. which the vise, indicated generally-"by, thenumeral. H, is mounted. As herein .disc1osed, the vise comprises a stationary or fixed. jaw member l2. having spaced vertically disposed. clamping. faces [3 and I4 which are united by a body l5 having formed therein a guide :opening [6 for the slidable reception of the shank bar ll of the vise. At its outer end, the bar carries. a jaw l8 which is movable relative to the. face It of thefixed jaw member in order to clamp work objects disposed at the frontof the. bench ortable. 10., Also, intermediately of its'length, the shank bar carries a second jaw member I9 which includes. a body 20 formed with an opening in'which the shank I'I'is slidably positioned, the jaw member [9 being adjustable relative. to r the clamping; face I4 of the stationary jaw member I2, whereby to clamp Workobjectson the top of the bench or table. I 0.

The fixed jaw member I2 may; in this instance,

, berequipped with a set screw 21 for maintaining the. bar-or shank l1 against movement relative to said'fixedjaw member, when such arelationship is desirable. Also, the fixed jaw member 12' is .formed with openings for the reception of screws 22 by means of which, or theirequivalents, .the: fiXed jaw member may be secured in its desired operating position on the'bench It.

Preferably, the'upper surface of said bench'is recessed as at 23 below the plane of its working surface,,so that the upper. surface of the shank or:bar I! will be even with or somewhat below the horizontal, plane defining'the upper or work,- ing surface of said bench, as shown more particularly in Fig. 2.

To facilitate the clamping. of work objects betweenv the adjoiningsurfaces of the movable jaw member l9 and the; clamping face Id of the stationaryjaw member l2, particularly when the shank bar? I! is held against longitudinal movement-b'y'the set screw 211, use iSfI'IlddEOfd-Il ec-- centric ring or strap 24, the same being formed with a forwardly directed integral car 25 which is apertured to receive for pivotal movement the shank of a headed stud 26 arising from the body portion 20 of the jaw [9. The ring or strap 24 includes a. circular opening 21 in which is mounted for rotation an eccentric disk 28.

From an inspection of Figs. 1, 3 and 5, it will be noted that the disk 28 fits snugly "within the opening 21 in turning engagement with the walls of said opening. In this instance, the upper surface of the disk has secured, as at 29, thereto the arcuate forward end of a manually-actuated disk-turning lever 30. The disk is formed so that it possesses a thickness substantially less than that of the ring or strap 24 in which it is rotatably mounted, and pivoted as at 3| for oscillating movement on the top surface of the disk is a shoe cam 32 which engages the wall surfaces of the opening 21 and is maintained in such engagement by a leaf spring 33 which acts on an operating arm 34 projecting from the cam 32 in contiguous relation to the lever 30.

The eccentric disk 28 is rotatable about the shank of a stud 35, the latter being disposed eccentrically with respect to the true center of the disk. The upper end of the stud 35 is headed while the lower end thereof is reduced indiameter and screw-threaded for insertion into an internally threaded opening formed in a bell crank lever 36. The lever 36 is pivotally mounted for limited rockin movement as at 31 on the lower plate 38 of a slidable clamping frame 39 carried by the bar or shank H. The frame 39 also includes a top plate 40 which projects over the upper surfaces of the bar I! and an intervening end piece 4|, the latter being disposed between the lower plate 38 and the top plate 40 at one side of the bar l1. Pins 42 may be employed to secure the plates 38, 40 and 4| together.

As shown in Fig. 4, the end piece or plate 4|, is provided with reversely angled surfaces 43, which terminate in a bearing point for engagement with a clamping shoe 44. This shoe is formed with reversely inclined surfaces 45, the meeting portions of which engage with the meeting portions of the surfaces 43, the shoe being permitted limited turning movement about a fastening pin 46 connected with the bottom and top plates 38 and40 respectively of the clamping frame. The shoe 44 on the side thereof opposite to the inclined surfaces 45 is formed with a straight fiat surface 41 adapted for engagement with the corresponding flat edge of the shank bar l'l.

Similarly, on the opposite side of the saddl frame 39, there is provided a second clamping shoe 48 which is formed with an inwardly disposedstraight flat surface 49 having direct engagement with one of the flat smooth vertical edges of the shank bar If, that is, the edge opposite to that engaged by the surface 41 of the clamping shoe 44. The shoe 48 is notched as at 50 to receive the end of a set screw which is mounted for adjustment in a threaded opening 52 provided in the outer end of the bell crank lever 36. A stop pin 53 may be carried by the bottom plate 38 of the frame 39 for limiting the extent of oscillation of the bell crank lever.

In operation, when objects are to be clamped by the vise on the top of the bench Is, that is, between the movable jaw 9 and the clamping face M of the-fixed jaw member l2, the set screw 2| is actuated to grip the shank bar I! and hold the same against longitudinal movement. The handl'e lever 30 is then grasped and rocked while the 4 arm 34 of the shoe cam is held depressed against the resistance of the spring 33. This allows the eccentric disk 28 to turn, producing rocking movement on the part of the cam lever 36 in a direction drawing the set screw 51 away from the clamping shoe 48, so that the saddle frame 39, the strap 24 and the jaw l9 may be moved freely along the length of the shank bar I'l, until a work object, not shown, is initially wlamped between the jaws IS and I2. Final clamping action is then obtained by reversing the direction of oscillation of the handle lever 30 so that the bell crank lever 36 will be rocked to cause the set the shoe 48 and thereby efiect a firm frictional grip on the part of the shoes 44 and 48 with the side edges of the shank bar to retain the saddle frame against movement. The eccentric disk is held against rotation by the shoe cam 32 which, when its actuating arm is manually released, responds to the action of its spring 33 and frictionally engages the inner wall of the opening 21 to lock or hold the eccentric disk against movement.v

A variation of this construction has been disclosed in Figs. 7 to 9, wherein the shank bar Ila is formed alon one edge thereof with ratchet teeth 54, the opposite longitudinal edge of the bar Ila being plain or smooth, as shown in Figs. 7 and 9. The saddle frame 39a, in this embodiment of my invention, includes a lower plate 38a and an upper plate 4011 which are joined with end pieces 4m and MI) by the pins or studs 42a. In this instance, the end piece am is provided with ratchet .teeth 55 which are adapted to be brought intoand out of lockin engagement with the ratchet teeth 54 of the shank bar Ha. In the position of the saddle frame 39a as depicted .in Fig. 7, the said frame is locked against longitudinal movement on the shank bar I la while in Fig. 9 the saddle frame in shown in its position of release in which the saddle frame and the parts carried thereby may be moved freely in a longitudinal direction on the shank bar 11a.

The saddle frame 33a has its operating positrons controlled by the rocking movement of the eccentric disk 28a, the stud 35a of the eccentric disk having its threaded end received in a correspondingly threaded opening formed in the upper plate 40a of the saddle frame, as shown in Fig.8. The disk 28a carries the shoe cam 3212 which corresponds in arrangement and function to the strap 24a as does the shoe cam '32 with respect to the strap 24.

It will be-seen that by pressin u wardl the handle lever 30a, as viewed in Fig 7, the la z ter may be moved so as to rock the saddle frame to the position of Fig. 9 in which the movable jaw of the vise may be rapidly and expeditiously moved longitudinally of the shank bar. When the handle lever is moved in the opposite direction, the saddle frame engages the toothed edge of the shank bar, after the manner disclosed in Fig.5, thereby holding the saddle frame against motion, and upon a clockwise swing of the handle 39a following such tooth engagement, the disk 28a, due to the location of the pivot or stud 35a W111 cause the strap 24a and the movable jaw member [3a to press firmly and with a high degree of pressure on a work object held by the vise, as shown in Fig. 7.

The construction is such that the moved with but the use of one hand f $55 322? tor, leaving the other hand free to support work objects'or perform other functions. The apparatus does away with the usual cumbersome and slowly actuated lead screw of the conventional vise and provides a structure which is more rapid to operate and easy to control than prior structures of which I am aware.

It will be noted that in the turning movement of the handle 30 in the direction of the arrow A, indicated in Fig. 6, results in the turning of the disk 28, so that the eccentrically disposed stud 35 thereof swings the longer arm of the bell crank lever 36 in the direction of the arrow B of Figs. 4 and 6. The swinging movement thus imparted to the bell crank lever causes its screw 5| to act on the shoes 44 and 48, causing the same to frictionally grip the opposite longitudinal edges of the stationary jaw shank I1, and thereby hold the clamping frame against longitudinal movement on the shank 11. The turning movement of the disk member is also utilized in forcing the movable jaw member 19 into high pressure gripping engagement with a work object disposed between the vise jaws l4 and I9 by the leverage afforded by the handle 30, and the turning action of the eccentric disk 28 being such as to provide such a multiplication of leverage forces as to enable a powerful clamping action to be exerted on work objects by the vise jaws.

The clamping action is maintained by the brake shoe or cam 32, whose action is biased by the spring 33, and when the extension 34 is released, the brake shoe frictionally engages the inner walls of the opening 21 of the strap member 24 to locate or retain the parts against movement. Preferably, the extension 34 and the handle 30 are so disposed that the same may be grasped and actuated by one hand of the user of the vise.

While I have disclosed what I consider to be certain preferred embodiments of my invention, nevertheless, it will be understood that the construction is subject to variation or mechanical change without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as the same have been defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a work-clamping vise of the type having a fixed jaw member, a shank extending from said jaw member and a movable jaw member mounted for longitudinal sliding movement on said shank toward and away from said fixed jaw member, the improvement comprising: a clamping frame supported for longitudinal movement on said shank, gripping means carried by said frame and movable into and out of engagement with said shank to maintain said clamping frame in desired positions of longitudinal adjustment thereon, a manually-actuated disk member supported on said frame for turning movement about an eccentric axis, a strap member joined at one end with said movable member, said strap member having an opening in which said disk member is rotatably received, a tangentially extending operating arm rigidly joined with said disk member to impart rotating movement to the latter, means operable upon initial rotating movement of said disk member to move said gripping means into frame-holding engagement with said shank and upon continued turning movement of said disk member to displace said strap member in a direction enabling said movable jaw member to exert clamping forces on an object positioned between said jaw members, and a manually operable movable brake shoe carried by said disk member and disposed for engagement with the walls of the opening in the strap member to hold frictionally said disk member against rotation.

2. The mechanism defined in claim 1 and wherein the brake shoe is provided with an actuating arm arranged in adjacent relation to the arm of the disk member.

3. A woodworkers vise comprising a fixed jaw member, a stationary shank extending from said jaw member, a movable jaw member mounted for longitudinal sliding movement on said shank, a strap member pivoted at one end to said movable jaw member, said strap member being formed with a circular opening, a disk positioned in said opening in close engagement with the walls thereof and rotatable with respect to said walls, a clampin frame movable longitudinally of said shank, said frame being formed with a, pivotally movable shoe having a flat surface disposed for engagement with an edge surface of said shank, a second shoe carried by said clamping frame and engageable with an opposite edge surface of said shank, a lever pivotally mounted on said clamping frame and engageable with said last-named shoe to move the latter into and out of damp ing engagement with said shank, said lever being formed with an arm, and a pin pivoted eccentrically to said disk and secured to said lever arm to effect swinging movement of the latter upon rotation of said disk.

4. A woodworkers vise as defined in claim 3, in combination with a manually-actuated lever handle connected rigidly at one end to said disk.

5. A woodworkers vise as defined in claim 3, and wherein said disk is provided with a pivotally mounted spring-biased shoe having frictional engagement with the walls of the opening of said strap member.

6. A woodworkers vise as defined in claim 3, and wherein said pivoted lever for moving the shoes of the clamping frame into and out of engagement with the edges of the jaw shank is provided with an adjustable screw for governing the response of the clamping frame shoes to the turning movement of said disk.

FREDERICK A. GUTH. HAROLD F. GUTH.

REFERENCES CITEfi The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 696,405 Breul Apr. 1, 1902 741,155 Miller Oct. 13, 1903 824,000 Elmer June 19, 1906 841,012 Helm Jan. 8, 1907 1,020,129 Crandal Mar. 12, 1912 1,020,192 Dade Mar. 12, 1912 1,092,145 Hakes Apr. 7, 1914 1,650,565 Alexander Nov. 22, 1927 2,223,323 Koch Nov. 26, 1940 2,402,537 Downing June 25, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 311,432 Germany Mar. 31, 1919 379,874 Germany Aug. 29, 1923 108,166 Sweden Aug. 10, 1943 119,787 Sweden Sept. 30, 1947 

